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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Oct 27, 2008 13:24:38 GMT -5
Dare gave Markise a casual pat on the shoulder, then dropped his arm without turning to see who it was. It didn't matter really, as long as they hadn't been close for long. Dare continued the conversation as though he Markise hadn't said a thing. "He does, but no, he wouldn't go for that. I don't even want to think how much consolation he'd need seeing us all decked out like that." Michael knew Dare had dabbled with makeup, but he definitely didn't know the extent. It was only after he'd finished that Dare looked up to see who was coming. Ariel Logan. Dare's brows arched.
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Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on Oct 27, 2008 13:31:54 GMT -5
Ariel forced his expression into something a little more normal and came up beside them. "So do you people just not understand what a body of water is for?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. He rarely saw anyone in the water, even just ankle deep, and he knew the water wasn't cold enough to keep everyone from going in. All he ever saw was people sitting by the lake. With other guys.
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Post by Markise Sterling on Oct 27, 2008 13:37:13 GMT -5
Markise was flustered, there was no denying it. Ariel looked fine, but God, he got Markise's blood running and he wasn't even doing anything. Except implying that they should be swimming. Markise looked aside at Dare in silent apology, though he couldn't be sure what he was apologizing for. Then he looked back up at Ariel, towering over him. "We were just talking," he said, as though that explained everything.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Oct 27, 2008 13:41:19 GMT -5
There was something about the exchange that rubbed Dare the wrong way. Maybe it was the way Ariel had asked that question, maybe it was the way Markise looked at him. Likely it was far more than that, but he got an entirely different vibe from Ariel now than he had that day in the dormitory. Dare's eyes narrowed slightly behind his fringe. "Deep conversation isn't necessarily helped along by deep water," he said, telling himself not to bristle. "But by all means, go swim and we'll stay here and finish up."
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Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on Oct 27, 2008 13:46:50 GMT -5
Ariel tilted his head at Dare, "I can't see any conversation that would be preferable to swimming." Then he paused a moment and sat without asking for permission. "But if you have something, I'd gladly hear it." He glanced over at Markise, then back at Dare. He couldn't explain why he felt like he needed to be there, instead of just ignoring it and going to swim, but he did know that Markise was his.
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Post by Markise Sterling on Oct 27, 2008 13:53:14 GMT -5
Markise blinked at Ariel, more than a little surprised. He'd been sure that Ariel would take the escape when he'd been offered it. He really wasn't that into talking. Still, he couldn't think of any reason to exclude him from the conversation, so he thought back and picked the thread up again. "We were talking about going to the club in Hogsmeade," Markise said, off-balanced enough by all this that it didn't occur to him how that might sound to Ariel.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Oct 27, 2008 13:57:49 GMT -5
Dare, however, picked up on it immediately, and rather than correct the obvious misinterpretation, decided to prod. "I was about to tell Markise that I could probably get a night off to manage it." Of course, He wouldn't be going without Michael, but for the moment, Dare didn't think that needed said. "You don't dance, do you?" Dare reserved any cutting blows for now. A light thrust here and there would be more than enough to evaluate. It was instinct to Dare. Markise was his friend, and as such, was under his protection, whether Dare thought of it consciously or not.
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Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on Oct 27, 2008 14:02:31 GMT -5
"There's not much opportunity to dance in the outback," Ariel said, his eyes turning back to Markise. Markise wouldn't go off dancing with Dare, would he? Apparently Markise didn't think he was all Ariel's as much as he had acted. He didn't like where it was going, didn't like the image of the two guys in front of him dancing that popped into his mind. But really, what could he do, so long as Dare was there?
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Post by Markise Sterling on Oct 27, 2008 14:08:14 GMT -5
Markise turned his gaze back to Ariel, lips curving with anticipation, though there weren't actually any plans in the works. "It doesn't take much to learn," he said, moving lightly to an imaginary beat. "It's instinct, like breathing." Markise was starting to get worked up, and he wasn't even sure why. He suddenly wanted Dare to go. He stopped his dancing and dug into his bag for a piece of gum, popping it into his mouth gratefully.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Oct 27, 2008 14:15:30 GMT -5
And there it was. That hint of the Markise that Dare had seen in the corridor that day. Something in the way he held himself and the way he talked. And Logan... Dare didn't like him nearly as much now as he had the other day. "Dancing is pretty basic," he said. Of course, there were a lot of pretty basic things that the general population didn't know or couldn't do. But that wasn't the point of this conversation. "Of course, if you don't feel like learning, there's just that much more breathing room on the dance floor."
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Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on Oct 27, 2008 18:01:08 GMT -5
Ariel's eyes had caught momentarily on the movement of Markise's body, but had pulled away quickly to look up at Dare. He really didn't care to learn to dance, though he couldn't help imagining Markise dancing, those small movements had been nothing but a tease. He also didn't really like the idea of Markise going out dancing with Dare, which was an image that fought for dominance over the much more pleasant one of Markise alone. "I'm much more of a watcher."
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Post by Markise Sterling on Oct 27, 2008 18:11:28 GMT -5
"Well, I'm going dancing," Markise said matter-of-factly. "I don't care who goes with me, but there's a club in walking distance and I intend to make use of it." Markise had to work not to openly flirt with Ariel. He'd been in the closet before and managed just fine, but Ariel was new, and Markise got a thrill out of knowing how easily he could get him worked up. But Dare was here. Markise told himself firmly to behave, even as he blew a slow bubble with his gum and twirled a lock of silky hair around his finger.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Oct 27, 2008 18:20:35 GMT -5
Dare couldn't help looking at Markise. He was flirting heavily, and Dare wondered if Markise realized how transparent he was. It was made all the more obvious by the fact that Markise had been... just Markise a matter of minutes ago. It was interesting watching the transformation. It was odd, but Dare couldn't tell himself it felt odd or out of character. Markise had always been a little flamboyant. "Dance all you want," Dare said, "I'm there about every night." He wasn't trying to push Logan this time, but he realized it might have that effect. It was hard to drag his attention from the new Markise, though.
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Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on Oct 27, 2008 18:29:10 GMT -5
Ariel's eyes focused on Dare. At least, that's what he told himself they did, in reality they continually flicked back to Markise, that bubble, that finger in his hair. He couldn't help it, his eyes were traitors. "You can go dance all you want," Ariel said, not fully aware that he was repeating Dare. "I think I'll stick to my swimming." Which was something he still fully planned on doing, even though he had been sidetracked.
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Post by Markise Sterling on Oct 27, 2008 18:37:03 GMT -5
"Well you could at least come watch," Markise said, without really thinking about his words. He looked at Ariel, saw that flickering gaze, and though he knew he ought to feel guilty about it, it's not like he could stop himself. He was just talking, just blowing bubbles to keep his mouth busy, that was all. Liar. "I'm sure they have chairs, right Dare?" Markise looked back at Dare then, and blinked when he saw the way his friend was looking at him. Then he dropped his gaze, knowing Dare could see right through him.
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